Hairpin opener



July 24, 195] ELWARD 2,561,655

HAIRPIN OPENER Filed Sept. 22, 1947 INVENTOR NYE K. ELWARD ATTORNEY Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE v I HAIRPIN OPENER Nye Elward, Altadena, Calif. Application September 22, 1947, Serial No. 775,459

The present invention relates to'hair pin open ers in general andin particular to an opener for that type of hair pin commonly known as the bobby pin. More specificall the invention comprises an opener by the use of which bobby pins may be spread with one hand while the users other hand secures a curl previously ar-- ranged.

The modern woman freely uses hair pins to mally make contactadjacent their outer ends,

the end of the corrugated side angling outwardly.

A bobby pin, however, must be opened in the sense that its sides or legs, which are held together by its own resilience, must be pried apart in order thatit can be placed in securing relationship to the hair and this operation presents a continuing minor problem. Ordinarily a woman will arrange her hair with both hands and, while holding it in placewith one hand, open the bobby pin with the other and then position the pin. Unfortunately, however, the pin cannot be opened easily with the fingers of one hand and accordingly the user relies upon supplementary means. Some pry the sides apart using the teeth,

a performance which is particularly dangerous in that it scratches the enamel and can do serious injury. Others prefer tomake use of the edge of the dresser, which operation is also objectionable in that inevitably that piece of furniture is scratched and marred; Some prefer, however, to open the pin by inserting a finger nail between its ends, and in doing so scratch and mar their finger nail polish. The problem of opening bobby pins in an easy and satisfactory manner is one which has heretofore escaped satisfactory solution. With an appreciation of the shortcomings of the methods which have heretofore been used in opening bobby pins, and in order to provide a superior method and a device for the accomplishment thereof, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and economically manufactured unit by the use of which a bobby pin can readily be opened without skill and with one hand. It is another object of the invention to provide a simple bobby pin opener including nomoving In recent years the common hair Claims. (01.132-1) parts, and which functions to open the pin automatically as it is moved relative thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bobby pin opener which is suitable for use with a variety of bobby pins available upon the market.

A further object of the invention is to provide do not effect the movement of the device over a supporting surface.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed:

Figure 1 is a top view of the metallic target element forming a principal part of the opener constructed in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the base element adapted to the support of the target element of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the unit constructed in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the invention with the target positioned in the base;

Figure 3A is an enlarged fragmentary section of the showing of Figure 3;

Figure 4; is a section similar to Figure 3 through a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through a third preferred embodiment of the invention adapted to be carried upon the wrist of the user;

Figure 6 is an end view of the construction of Figure 5; and 1 Figure 7 is a transverse section through still another embodiment of the invention in which the target element is fixedly secured to asupporting surface.

Referring again to the drawings and to Figures 1, 2, and 3 inclusive, in particular, the first preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and is seen to comprise a target element indicated generally by the refernce character l0 and a base element indicated generally by the reference character ll. Target element I0 is formed with end portions I 2 and I3 extended in planes at'right angles to each other. Adjacent to p0rpreferredv tion 12 target area M of element In slopes downwardly as viewed in Figure 3 making an angle of 35 with the plane of end [3. This sloping section is indicated by the reference character I4 and comprises the target .area proper. Adjacent to end portion l3 and extending at an obtuse angle relative to the plane thereof is an intermediate section indicated by the reference character [6. Sections l4 and I6 are joined by a curved surfaceyor section ll comprising anarc of a circle to which section l6 lies tangent, a transverse elongated slot [8 lying in the plane of the target area [4 and separating that area from section ll. Converging raised guides l9fare positioned upon target area I4 and converge 130 ward the slot 18 in the manner clearly'illustrated.v

in Figure l to insure that .a moving object traveling along the surface in the direction'of the slot will be directed thereto.

Slot l8 may be formeddn any suitable manner as bystamping, theturned-over edges preferably extending interiorly, thatis, into ,thesanglecformed by the sides M and .l 3. Slot [8 may have different widths and lengths, but its width preferably is directlyproportional to the thickness of a bobby pin and inversely proportional to the sine ofthe angle of incidence which the pinmakes with the planeofthetarget area [4. A range of 35 degrees to 90 degrees is reasonable for this angle. The maximum slot width, of course would be that which obstructs the movement of a bobby pin relative thereto in the sense that one side of the pinwould strike there against as the other side entered. Stated differently, the minimum width of the slot is that widthiwhich enables oneside of the pin to slide therethru as it is movedalong the target area While angularly related thereto at the minimum practical angle; the maximum width being that which isslightly less than that which enablesboth ends of the pin topass therethru with thepin advancing normal to theplane of the slot.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2 the base element I I in which the target element I is mounted is illustrated as substantially elliptical I in shape, although any preferred contour may be selected. In a preferred form the base is made of a material such as rubber or a synthetic equivalent which will not slide readily upon a supporting surface although it is to be understood that the'lower surface only may be so formed. Base II is provided with a transverse slot 2| in which the end section [3 seats and in the preferred embodiment illustrated, a rectangular recess 22 is formed adjacent thereto and forward- 1y thereof as illustrated in Figure 3.

In opening a bobby pin by the use of the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the pin is grasped between the thumb and forefinger and moved longitudinally downwardly until its adjacent end strikes the target area 14. The guides 19 perform their function and direct the downwardly moving pin toward slot l8 should it be positioned laterally at either side thereof. As the pin continues its downward movement its end riding upon the target area enters-the slot l8 thereupon the, advancing edge of the slot extends between the sides of the pin the upper or outer side of which then rides .in tangency to the curved surface l1. downward travel moves the side ,or .leg extending through the opening 18 against theinner side,of section Hi, the oppositeside of thepinriding' around upon the exterior surface of the, curve II. The ,pin pivots a counterclockwise .direcf Continued T tion from the vertical position illustrated in Figure 3 and is opened as its movement continues in accordance with the theorem of Pythagoras, in which An angle formed by a secant and a tangent, drawn to a circle from an external point, is measured by half the difference of the intercepted arcs. Applying this theorem, as the one side of the pin pierces the target plane and becomes a chord of the are formed by circle portion l'l,;.it also becomesa ;sec,ent, while the outer side of thezpin rides tangent to the same surface. As the pin advances through the opening l8, and

:saszthe chord increases in length, it follows that .the angle between the sides of the pin will also increase to effect the desired spreading. The presence of the recess 22 provides additional clearance. I

' is seen to be similar to that element "in'the first IiO embodiment with the exception that the recess 22 -has'been omitted. In place of 't-hetarget element ID of the first embodiment there is substituted atarget which is seento comprise a surface 3| sloping slightlydownwardly and invious manner.

terrupted between its endsbya transverseslot 32 corresponding to slot/18 of 'the first embodiment and through which one side of a pin may extend. Surface 3i is connected by a curved surface '33 with areversely slopingsurface 34so positioned and related to slot 32 that a pin-side passing downwardly therethru will strike surface 34 and be deflected downwardly, its continued advance'effecting a spreadingaction in an ob- Downwardly extending end sections 35 and 36 seat removably in transverse slots 3'I-and 33 in base ll. Thisembodiment-may be provided with converging guides similar to the guides 19 of the firstembodiment if desired.

In theme of the-opener constructed in accordance with this second embodiment of the invention the bobby pin is again grasped between the thumb and the-forefinger, preferably about onethird of its length from its-closed end. The pin is moved downwardly until its adjacent end strikes thetarget area 3|. Continued downward movement causes the adjacent end, which is pref erably the straight end, to enter the slot 32 while the opposite side rides upon the curved surface 33. Upon-the further downward movement that end ofthe pin which haspassed through the slot 32 strikes the reversely sloping surface 34 and is deflected downwardly to tilt the-pin into-a more nearly vertical position, whereupon its side -riding in contactwit-h the target area 3| rounds the curved surface 33 effecting a spreading of the pin bya desired optimum angle.

Referring now'to Figures 5 and-='6 in particular, the third preferred embodiment of the invention is; illustrated and is seen to comprise a target element indicated generally "by the :reference character 48'. "The transverse "slot,'correspondi'ng to slot [8 of the first embodiment, is here indicatedbythereference character 45. "Basically this .embodimentis similar to the target element l0 ofytheifirst embodiment with the exception that itis triangular in longitudinal section, the end sections i2 and. 13 being replaced by under-'- lying flat section. fixedly securedrto .a'bracelet clamp 42 which may be of a size to encricle the wrist or the knee of the user. A magnet 43 is also carried by bracelet 42 which may itself be magnetized if desired. Pins may be picked up readily by lowering the unit into a pin-containing receptacle to enable the pins to adhere to the magnetized surfaces. The opening of a pin by the use of this embodiment of the invention corresponds to the opening operation as described in the first embodiment With the exception that the pin is advanced horizontally rather than vertically.

Referring now to the Figure 7, the fourth preferred embodiment of the invention is seen to comprise a target element 50 including a target area 5| which merges through a circular arc 52 with a back section 53, a slot 54 being provided at the upper extremity of surface 5| and lying in the plane thereof. Feet or abutments 56 and 51 are provided at the ends of section 5| and 53 and are secured to a supporting surface 58 by means of screws 59. The uses of this embodiment of the invention are obvious from the discussion given above in connection with the pre ceding embodiments and it is clear that the device may be mounted upon a horizontal surface or upon a vertical surface.

In the first two embodiments the pin is moved downwardly into contact with the opener and the forces expanded are primarily directed downwardly so that there is no appreciable tendency to move the unit laterally upon a supporting surface. This relationship is desirable in that it enables the unit to be made of light material with a resulting saving in manufacturing costs. The third and fourth embodiments illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and '7, respectively, accomplish the opening of the pin by a horizontal movement, but in each case the target element is suitably supported to prevent sliding movement.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An opener for bobby pins and the like comprising a target element in the form of an elongated unitary strip of thin bendable material of substantially uniform width and thickness, said strip including a plurality of successive interconnected sections of varying inclinations, said strip having end means for securing the target element to a suitable base, with the successive sections disposed at varying inclinations to each other and to the base, said target element including as adjacent sections a fiat target section inclined at an oblique angle with reference to the base and serving as a guide surface for a leg of a bobby pin or the like to be opened, and a curved spreading section forming a continuation of the flat section and inclined thereto, said traget element being transversely slotted substantially at the line of juncture of said flat and curved surfaces, said slot being of sufiicient width to receive the end of the leg of the bobby pin as .it is advanced along said inclined target section, While said curved spreading section serves to deflect and guide the end of the other leg of the bobby pin and thereby spread the pin to open position.

2. A bobby pin opener or the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein one end only of the target element strip is supported on the base.

3. A bobby pin opener as set forth in claim 1, wherein both ends of the target element strip are supported on the base and the adjacent sections comprising the fiat target section and the curved spreading section are generally inclined downwardly in opposite directions toward the base from approximately their line of juncture.

4. A bobby pin opener as set forth in claim 1, wherein both ends of the strip comprising the target element are detachably secured to the base.

5. In a device of the class described, a target providing a surface, means providing a fiat spreading surface spaced from said target surface by a transverse slot of a width to receive one leg only of a bobby pin, said target being provided with guide walls at the sides of its surface converging toward said slot to insure that the end of a bobby pin leg sliding therealong will enter said slots, and being further characterized in that said device is unobstructed below said slot so that said pin after passing through said slot can be pivoted freely to effect its opening.

NYE K. ELWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,146,160 Schlicker Feb. 7, 1939 2,150,144 Anderson Mar. 14, 1939 2,168,432 Ordal Aug. 8, 1939 2,176,052 Beyer Oct. 17, 1939 

